The sweltering hot summer day was beginning to chew away at my patience. Me and the Colonel crew were all lounging around the office, trying the best we could to keep cool. However, despite our efforts in opening all the windows, confiscating every fan on base, and placing some of the Captains into forced-labor fanning positions... all we had managed to accomplish was a humid whirlwind of documents and heat. Despite our current position: baking away in the early summer's heat, we were atleast grateful that there wasn't any legwork to accomplish. "Don't you think they could atleast afford to give us some AC around this place?", DaPope muttered from underneath a bag of ice. Rolling his eyes, Zero Devil snidely responded, "Ya'll are a bunch of wimps man, it's like this almost every day in Texas". It seemed as if the comment might result in a scuffle, when the red phone on my desk began to ring. Just then, the entire office ceased to move. Torni ceased muttering his incomprehensible pleadings in German for the heat to "go away" (the only part that came through clearly). Reaching over in what seemed like slow-motion, I picked up the phone, and greeted whichever 5-Star may have been on the line. SoCo came back in an almost sickeningly cheery voice, "Shisno, you guys need to drive out to the Dev compound and pick-up your new Colonel". "Ma'am? I thought that wasn't for another week?". "No, no... I've decided that you guys are really going to need the help here soon", she replied with a slight chuckle. Tapping on the desk with my fingers, I quickly responded, "Yes ma'am, I'll send someone out right away".
Just then, the office sounded like a basketball court. Feet were squeaking and squeeling as bodies flew toward the door in a blur. Zero Devil and DaPope collided at the door, as Zero turned around, giving Pope a huge push and shut the door. Glancing around the office, everyone was gone except Jamal (currently the only person doing work), and DaPope, picking himself up off the floor and dusting away all the dirt. "Well, DP... looks like you're the lucky winner. Drive over to the Development base and pick-up Reaper". Scowling at me, Pope gave a half-hearted salute and after opening the door, shuffled out of the room.